Who Needs You?
by blackdragon333
Summary: Gaara is ready to become Kazekage, and in the Mist village, Kioko is working towards Mizukage. But Kioko has a secret, and when their paths cross, Gaara discovers it. Suddenly, Gaara finds himself protecting Kioko from the very village that raised her...
1. Gaara's New Personality

Hey there, everybody! This is BlackDragon333 with yet ANOTHER Gaara-featured story. This one, surprisingly, is my favorite! It may get a little unrealistic at times, but I do think it's accurate, at least in terms of his speech. Kioko's a pretty cool main character, I think. Sweet. Let's get started!

.

.

.

"Uh!"

Gaara let out a soft sound of impact as he bumped into a villager. "Excuse me for running into you...I didn't see you there."

The villager only glared at him and continued on his path. As he walked away, he muttered, "Fucking psycho."

Pain flashed into Gaara's eyes. Since he had met Naruto of the Leaf, he had been doing his best to form bonds with whoever would accept him. So far, his only bonds were with Temari, Kankuro, and Baki. The other villagers were like this one, thanks to Shukaku, the ichibi. Since they had learned that Gaara was no longer a threat to their lives, they took the opportunity to be vindictive and refuse him the simplest courtesies. He only sighed and continued on. 'Soon...perhaps after the Jounin exams...'

The Sound and Sand's attempted attack on Konoha had taken place one year before. As a way of showing their faith in the new alliance, Konoha had allowed Suna to host the Jounin exams that year. As a result, competetors from all over the shinobi world would be travelling to Suna that week, arriving the next Friday. Gaara would be competing to become a Jounin that week, and he hoped that with that new level would come at least a little respect.

He had no idea, in fact, just how important the Jounin exams would turn out to be for him.

"Uh!" He repeated as another villager bumped into him. Though it hadn't been his fault this time, he apologized anyway. "I'm sorry, sir, for bumping you."

"I don't need your apology!" Snapped the villager. "In fact, I don't need _you_. Who needs you? No one does. Why don't you just do this village a favor and die?"

Gaara stood still in shock as the angry villager continued on his way. The comment 'Who needs you?' repeated in his head, and he heard the malice of '...do this village a favor and die?' over and over again. Forgetting where he had been originally headed, he sprang up to sit on a rooftop.

"Who needs you, Gaara?" He asked himself.

He closed his eyes gently to avoid the tears he felt coming.

"Who needs you?"

His head sank onto his arms.

"Who...?"

.

.

.

Well, what did you think? Review and favorite, please? It'd be great if you could! Thanks guys! (It gets better by the way. This is just an intro!)


	2. Kioko of the Hidden Mist Village

Ok, so I realized that the first chapter was MEGA short. lol. This one's a little longer, and you get to meet Kioko! She doesn't meet Gaara until chapter three or four I think, but you guys will like her, I think. She's pretty awesome :D

.

.

.

"Oh-! Oh, here, let me help-!"

"Get the hell away from me, you freak! Who needs you?!"

Kioko stopped in shock where she stood with her hand out to help up a man about ten years older than her. "W-what?"

"You heard me, you fucking monster! Why don't you do this village a favor and go die somewhere?"

Kioko stared, shocked, at the man, who stood up from where he had fallen and left without another word. Tears formed in her eyes, and she brushed them away impatiently.

"Look, Mommy...that girl is crying."

Kioko turned a hopeful head in the direction of the little boy who had spoken, but his mother grabbed his hand and pulled him away. "That's not a girl, Ryo, that's a monster. Don't you ever go near her, or very awful things will happen!"

The fearful little boy nodded, clinging to his mother's hand. "Let's go home, Mommy...she's too scary."

Kioko's tears returned as she thought, 'It's all because of this damn jubi...I'm not just a container, and I'm not a monster! I'm _not_! Why won't anyone understand that? I've tried...for so long...what about the first nine jinchuuriki? Don't _they_ get treated like this?'

She sighed. 'It doesn't matter. Akatsuki is after the tailed beasts...assuming no one leaks the information, the only way I'm safe is if I don't talk about the jubi. Damned dragon...the nine-tailed fox is supposed to be the last one. How no one knows of the ten-tailed dragon, I've got no idea...but it's the only stroke of luck I've ever had.'

Kioko sat silently on the rooftop of the building her apartment was located in. She had been homeless for several years, but working as a ninja had upped her income enough to allow her a place to live.

'Who needs you, Kioko? Does anyone? _Will_ anyone _ever_ need you?' She thought to herself, tearing up as she remembered the words, "...go die..."

Suddenly, a ninja jumped down in front of her. Warily, Kioko moved her hand towards her shuriken holster, but the kunoichi just laughed. "No need for that. My name's Ai, and I'd like you to go with us to the Jounin exams next week in Suna. Would you be interested?"

Kioko's eyes widened. "Well...sure, but...why me?"

Ai looked down. "I...well...we've treated you badly. I'd like to make up for it, if we can, by taking you. Will you go?"

Kioko smiled. "I'd love to!"

"Great!" Ai grinned. "See you bright and early tomorrow morning. We've gotta leave early to get there on time. Be at the main gates at seven!"

Kioko laughed. "Of course! I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

Ai grinned. "Alright."

"See you then!"

An ecstatic Kioko leaped through the open window of her apartment, but Ai's grin turned malicious as she did. "Yes...see you then."

.

.

.

Uh-oh! Ai's got a plan...but I can't tell you what it is! At least not for another chapter or two lol. Don't worry, it all works out! Good or bad, I won't say, but it works out! haha I'm so rude.

Review and favorite?

Later!

~BD333


	3. Kioko Enters Suna, Gaara Sees an Angel

Okay guys, thanks for being patient! Still no reviews :( But plenty of favorites and alerts! So thanks! :D

.

.

.

Gaara sighed sadly, running a pale hand through soft crimson hair. He stared at the deserted streets of his village, dark and shadowed with only the moonlight to light them. He jumped down from the rooftop he had been sitting on since that afternoon to sit against the side of a building in the shadows.

"Doesn't anyone else feel the way I do?" He whispered, hearing the loneliness of the sound in the empty streets. "Anyone at all..."

Suddenly, he stood. 'Why the hell am I being like this? I won't get anywhere if I let myself get depressed like this. What would Naruto say if he saw me? I'll be the Kazekage...I'll be the Kazekage! Then, at least, everyone will have to respect me!'

He refused to acknowledge the tiny seed of doubt that grew in the back of his mind. He knew in his heart that he would be Kazekage...he didn't need his mind to get in the way of that dream.

He headed out to the desert to train, his heart set on becoming Kazekage and his body on the way to helping him. If he could just train himself to near perfection, he would be able to become Kazekage.

Sadly, he knew the training would be the easiest part.

A short week later, Gaara stood on top of a building as he watched the foreign ninja stream into the village. He was in better shape than he had ever been in, and he was feeling great about his prospects. He had trained hard for six days before taking a break to rest before the exams. Now he watched the new arrivals entering his village with a practiced eye, searching out what he knew could be his toughest opponents. As he did, however, his eyes fell on a girl near his age. Brown-haired and with eyes so green he could see them from where he stood, she looked around his village with wonder and appreciation.

Curious, he jumped a little closer. She was from the Hidden Mist, and she obviously did not fit in with her companions. Cold and cruel, she was just the opposite. Where they were pale, she was tan. Where their hair was black, hers was brown with streaks that shone gold in the light. Where their eyes were expressionless and dark, hers swam with light and wonder. She was altogether different from any kunoichi he had ever seen before, and he felt an urgent need to find out why that was.

Just then, her eyes snapped up to where he was standing. Their eyes locked, and a shiver coursed through him at the way she looked at him. She wasn't staring at him as though he was a monster...she was staring at him as though he were an average Chuunin, no different from the rest of his village.

He surprised himself by keeping eye contact with her, and she surprised him by maintaining that eye contact. Usually, even the most irate villagers looked away when he held their eyes, but this girl...she held his gaze and only looked away when one of her comrades spoke to her. After she answered, she glanced back up at him and surprised him once more by smiling at him.

Then, she looked away, leaving a stunned Gaara to watch her walk towards the stadium.

.

.

.

So, they actually meet in two chapters lol so just hang in there! It'll be good, I promise. Review and favorite please! Thanks! :D

BD333 =]


	4. The Hopeful Jinchuuriki

Well guys, another chapter up! I hope you enjoy this one...I know I do! It's a little more serious than the last, and the characters act a little more like themselves. I hope you like it!

.

.

.

Kioko was ecstatic. She, Ai, and the rest of the Hidden Mist Chuunin had been traveling together all that week, and no one had said anything rude to her. She knew in her heart that she was expecting less of them than she should, but she refused to let her spirits be dampened.

'From here on out, if they give me the chance, I'll work as hard as I can to start making some friendships and creating bonds. All I need is a second chance...well, actually, all I need is my first.'

As they walked through the gate to Suna, Kioko had to suppress a smile. 'We made it! Alright. I'll become a Jounin, we'll head home, and now that they're giving me a chance, I'll make friends with everyone. After that...I'll become the Mizukage. Then, everyone will have to at least acknowledge me when I talk to them.'

Kioko's thoughts broke off as she entered Sunagakure. She stared around at the amazing architecture, something she had been interested in for a long time, and at the layout of the village. Wide-eyed with wonder, she nonetheless felt eyes on her. Her eyes moved to where she felt someone staring at her, and she found herself staring right back at a young man near her age wearing black clothes that made a shock of red hair stand out all the more.

Her eyes connected with his after she took in his appearance, and she was surprised at what she saw there. They were blue enough that she saw them even from the long distance away from him that she was, but they also had a hidden undercurrent of pain that was visible even from where she stood. 'He...those eyes...is he a jinchuu-?'

"Hey, Kioko, let's go."

Ai's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to her. "Oh. Okay."

As she followed, though, she glanced back up at the redheaded boy with the eyes that matched hers. She smiled at him when she saw that he was still looking before turning to follow Ai. 'He is. There's no doubt about it...he has the same eyes as me.'

Ai snapped her out of her reverie once more. "Alright. Kioko, you're in the team with Iwao and I. Everyone else, in threes."

"Oh, I can't wait for the exams to start! Once I become a Jounin...things can only get better from there on out." Kioko murmured to herself.

Ai heard her and said nothing, but a telltale smirk crossed her face. 'Assuming you survive them, that is.'

Kioko had no idea of what was really going on. The other Hidden Mist Chuunin were being friendly to her to lower her guard. They planned on hiring her opponent to kill her, and if that didn't work, they would kill her themselves. So she had the jubi...she had never used it in front of them before, so they were unaware of just how much power it had.

It didn't matter anyway.

Kioko was going to die.

.

.

.

Okay. Sorry about the cliffhanger! Sooooo I broke the rule with there only being nine demons...well too bad. It's very vital to the storyline and I had too, and I don't think I did it too badly. Do you?

Let me know in the reviews and favorites! :D

~BD333


	5. The Tenth Jinchuuriki's Beast

Hey! Thanks for being patient, everyone. Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but I've been working very hard on the story! Here's chapter five!

.

.

.

Gaara stood solemnly, listening to the head of the Sunian council address the candidates for the Jounin exams. His eyes, however, roved the crowd. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew in his heart that he was searching for Kioko, though he didn't know her name. He finally found her and was able to relax with his eyes on her.

'What is it about this kunoichi that draws me to her?' He wondered as he stared at her. 'She's pretty, but that's not why I can't keep myself from looking at her. What is it?'

She glanced over in his direction and held his gaze long enough for him to get a good look at her eyes. Shock registered in his brain. 'That's it! Those eyes...they're the same as mine. Those are the eyes that only jinchuuriki possess...eyes that show a lifetime of suffering at a glance. Eyes that show suffering...but a determination to end that suffering. That's why she's here...she's here to become a Jounin as a step to becoming...well, Mizukage, I'm assuming, since she's from Kiri. What's her story, and what's her beast? There is only one kunoichi who has had a tailed beast in them that I know of, but she is from the Waterfall, not the Mist, as this girl is...but then again, the information has always only been assumed to be true. And where's her characteristic? Naruto has whiskers like the kitsune, and I've got the rings around my eyes like Shukaku does...what's hers?'

Just then, she grinned at something Ai said, and her characteristic was revealed. Her incisors were larger and longer than usual, creating the appearance of fangs.

Gaara was puzzled. 'So...her beast, then...it's a wolf? Or a dog, maybe...'

Then, his eyes landed on her forearms. From the elbow to the back of her hands was covered in scales.

'Scales too? Then it's not a canine. A snake, maybe? No...those aren't snake fangs. Then...what else...' He looked shocked as he realized what it was. 'Tell me it's a dragon?!'

Kioko, on the other hand, glanced over at Gaara just as he realized what her beast was. She looked him up and down thoughtfully. 'So his beast is a tanuki...a raccoon dog. I...I should talk to him. No, no, I can't. If he hasn't figured out yet that I'm a jinchuuriki, I can't let him. Nobody can know about the jubi...not until I'm Mizukage. After that, I shouldn't have any worries...but before then, there's no need to tempt the villagers to betray me.'

With that, Kioko turned her eyes back to the councilman who was addressing them. Apparently, there was only to be a tournament. If the candidates performed well and up to Jounin standards, they would be promoted. If they only performed on a Chuunin level, they would not.

She smiled. 'Easy. I'm going to be Mizukage...of course I'll perform on a Jounin level.'

Gaara turned his attention back to the councilman as the girl looked away from him. 'So...a tournament. Alright...this should be easy. And this way, I can show everyone that I won't kill without reason anymore.'

'This way...'

'This way they'll _have_ to respect me.'

.

.

.

Aww, Gaara's so kawaii :D

Anywho. You should definitely review and favorite for me, as incentive to get the next chapter up real fast. Thanks!

~BD333


	6. Finally, They Meet!

Wow you guys! I got some of the best reviews I've ever even seen! I'd like to give shoutouts to everyone, but in particular to CANARYwolf and Laura JN. And I'd just like to say, AzureTwilightDragon's review made me feel better about myself as a human being in general, and also as a writer. Thank you, you guys, from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much this kind of support means to me. :D

Anyway. These guys left me some AWESOME reviews, and all they asked in return was that I'd hurry with posting the next chapter. I was at ROTC camp for a week, but I'm back now and just got the emails today, so I feel that I owe them (and you!) this chapter.

Enjoy!

.

.

.

Kioko waited anxiously for her match to start. She was right after the match between Iwao of her own village with someone named Gaara, and she was fighting a kunoichi named Temari. She stood in the competitor's area with Ai and Iwao, waiting for her big chance to prove herself. She was so focused on her upcoming battle, in fact, that she didn't notice when Ai slipped away.

"Next match...Iwao of the Mist versus Gaara of the Sand. Take your places."

"Good luck, Iwao!" Kioko smiled. "Do your best."

He said nothing, simply jumped down into the ring. Instantly, as she saw who his opponent was, Kioko wished that she hadn't said anything. 'So...his name is Gaara...'

Gaara glanced up at her from under bright red hair, and she smiled before mouthing, "Good luck."

He stared up at her in surprise before a slight smile crossed his face. He moved into his fighting stance as the referee began to speak. "I want a clean fight. When we tell you to stop, you stop. Got it? Go!"

The referee sprang out of the ring, and Gaara and Iwao went at it. Iwao was no match for Gaara, who had subdued him within half a minute. The referee jumped back down in. "Gaara progresses to the next round. Good match, everyone."

A sullen Iwao jumped back up next to Kioko, who smiled at him. "It was a good match, Iwao. You did your best. Don't be upset."

He just snorted.

Just then, Gaara leapt up beside them. "Good fight, Iwao. You were a tough opponent."

With a smile, he held out his hand to shake. Iwao slapped it away, angry, and Kioko and Gaara looked shocked.

"Iwao!" Kioko exclaimed. "He's complimenting you! You can't just-!"

"Shut the hell up, demon bitch! I can do whatever I want, and some fucked up monster like you isn't gonna tell me what to do!"

He sprang away into the stadium, leaving Gaara and Kioko to stand in an awkward silence.

"I...I'm sorry. Perhaps I shouldn't have-" Gaara began regretfully.

"No, no..." A glassy-eyed Kioko laughed. "It's not your fault. Iwao's never been good at accepting defeat with grace, that's all...he's got to work on that."

"What he said just then...are you a ji-"

"Next match: Temari of the Sand versus Kioko of the Mist. Take your places."

"Oh! That's me. It's been nice talking with you, Gaara of the Sand." Kioko smiled.

"Kioko, wait-!" Gaara reached out his hand.

With that same smile, she jumped down into the ring.

A shocked Temari leapt down into the ring just as Ai, looking disgruntled, sat next to Iwao in the stands.

"Well?" asked Iwao. "Will she do it?"

"No." Spat Ai. "Some of these villages still believe in honor."

In the ring, meanwhile, Temari said, "Kioko, right? Kioko, I've got to tell you some-"

"Alright you two. Let's keep this clean. Begin!"

Kioko leapt back, away from Temari. "It'll have to wait! Let's fight!"

"No, Kioko, I've got to-!"

Temari jumped back as a shuriken flashed past her. "We've got a fight to finish first, Temari. You heard him." Grinned Kioko, not unkindly. "Begin!"

Temari sighed. "You'll hear me out when we're done?"

Kioko smiled. "Of course!"

Temari sighed once more.

"Then let's fight."

Gaara watched from above, wondering what had upset Temari so badly. His sister was always ready for a fight and rarely was in that mood...it had to have been something of great magnitude to make her look like that. And what could she have been involved in that would possibly have anything to do with Kioko?

He would just have to wait to find out.

.

.

.

And you guys are going to have to wait too! Haha sorry for the cliffhanger, but at least they finally met, huh? :D

Leave me some good reviews and I'll hurry along with the next chapter! :D

Thanks everybody!

~BD333


	7. Gaara's Discovery

Okay everyone. Let me apologize for the long wait. I've been battling some miniature depressions about myself as a writer and just in general, and I know that's no excuse, but I've just been feeling really worthless and like no one wanted to read my writing. I'll be updating this story a lot more now, so let me just apologize again, and here's the long-awaited chapter!

.

.

.

Ten minutes later, Temari sat slumped against the wall of the ring, unconscious. Kioko's technique was an interesting one, combining genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. She first cast an illusion on her opponent that made him or her see thousands of clones. While the opponent was 'surrounded', the real Kioko activated a ninjutsu in her fist, then struck the opponent while they were unaware. The ninjutsu in her fist knocked them unconscious by shutting off the chakra flow to the brain temporarily, while the punching aspect of taijutsu simply knocked them away from her in case the technique would be ineffective for some reason.

Immediately after she had been pronounced the winner, Kioko reactivated Temari's chakra flow, who sat up slowly. "What...happened?"

"I won." Kioko replied with a smile. "Sorry about that...I was a little overexcited."

Temari's eyes widened as she remembered what she had needed to tell Kioko. "Oh, oh no! Kioko, I've got to talk to you, but first...Gaara! There he is! Come on, Kioko, it's very important!"

An anxious Temari jumped up beside Gaara, followed by a puzzled Kioko. "Kioko, this is-"

"Gaara, I know. We've met. What's wrong?" Asked Kioko.

"Temari...you're rarely this upset. Breathe, and tell us what's happened."

Gaara's commanding tone relaxed Temari, and she did as instructed. "Kioko...before my match...someone from your village approached me. He or she wore a hood, so I haven't got a clue what the face looks like. But someone...someone in your village wants you dead, Kioko. The person requested that I...that I kill you in our match. Of course I refused, but...watch yourself, Kioko, and watch carefully."

Gaara watched her closely to see what her reaction would be, trying to plan his reaction to hers accordingly. If he had expected a typical, wide-eyed response, he was dreadfully disappointed by the gentle smile she displayed. "Of course they do. That's all?"

"That's all?" Asked Temari incredulously. "Kioko-!"

"Temari."

Temari fell silent and looked at Gaara in response to her name. "Yes?"

"You need to rest after that match. Tell no one of this...do not even speak of it again."

"But, Gaara-!" Temari protested, as a surprised and hurt Kioko looked at him.

A slight smile crossed his face. "I am not abandoning her. I'd like to take care of this myself, that's all."

Temari nodded hestitantly before disappearing into the stands, and Gaara looked down at Kioko, all business once more. "Which one is it?"

"What?" She asked in surprise.

"Your beast. The only kunoichi I know of who houses a tailed beast is from Takigakure, but you're from Kiri. Which one do you house?"

She sighed, and in an instant decided to come clean with him. "I...I _am_ a jinchuuriki, you're correct. My beast...my beast is the jubi, and his name is Tatsu."

"The...the ten-tails?" He sputtered, shocked. "The nine-tails is supposedly the last beast...the ten-tails?"

She nodded in affirmation. "I don't think I need to impress upon you how important it is that no one knows of this. You...you aren't going to give out this information, are you?"

He shook his head with a smile. He may have only been displaying his emotions for a few years, but he had paid close attention to those around him and knew that Kioko was terrified of the consequences if he would leak the information, even to his own village. "Of course not. Jinchuuriki...jinchuuriki must look out for each other. You should know that."

She shook her head with a smile. "I do now. Thank you, Gaara of the Sand."

"And you, Kioko of the Mist. Now...what do you propose we do about this?"

"It's nothing that hasn't happened before. They won't take it any further than attempting to hire an assassin. Thank you, though, for trying to assist me. I won't forget this when I am Mizukage."

He smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but Ai and Iwao entered the hallway just then. "There you are, Kioko. Who's this?"

Instantly, Kioko's expression hardened. "This fucking pervert was trying to get some action, but it's not going to happen. Sorry, buddy."

Iwao and Ai led her back into the stands, and he stared after her, puzzled and hurt, until she looked back and caught his eye apologetically.

In that instant, he knew that her situation was serious.

Her expression told him that she had only said those things so her fellow villagers wouldn't know that he had been friendly towards her, not only for her sake...but also for his. If they knew of the acquaintance between Gaara and Kioko, and somehow managed to kill Kioko, they would also be required to go after Gaara, and both he and Kioko knew this.

She hadn't been saying those things to hurt him. In fact, far the opposite.

She had been saying those things to protect him.

.

.

.

So, Kioko only wanted to protect Gaara, hmm? She seems to be pretty attached to him already...

Ah well! Until next time!

~BD333


End file.
